Improvement in rufflers for sewing-machines



G. W. DARBY. 'Ruffler for Sewing-Machmes.

Patented Jan. 26, 1875.

Inuenlur:

THE GRAPNIC cov PHOTO-LITHJ9a4l PARK FLACEfiLY.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

GEORGE w. DARBY, or HAMILTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUFFLERS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,020, dated January 26, 1875; application filed June 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DARBY, of Hamilton, in the State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rufflin g Attachments for Sewing-Machines 5 and do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of ruftlers which can be substituted for the presser-foot of sewing-machines, and in which motion is imparted to a ruffling-blade by means of a lbever operated by attachments to the needle- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved ruffler. Fig. 2 shows the lever detached. Fig. 3 represents the ruffling-blade attached to a link,in which the lever operates.

Fig. 4 represents a part view of the presser-.

foot, ruffling and holding blades, with a piece of material introduced for sewing. Fig. 5 shows an inverted perspective view of the frame-work of my ruffler, with all the operating parts detached.

The object of my invention is the production of a gathering, ruffling, or plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, which can be easily adjusted to position, is reliable in its operation, and is capable of being used upon work of any desired width; and it consists in the presser-foot, constructed as described, and combined with the separating or holding blade, the milling-blade, the connecting-link, and the operating-lever, as hereinafter more fully shown.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the presser-foot of my improved ruffler, which foot is of a piece with the rest of the frame-work, and is provided in the rear with means of attachment to the sewing-machine, and has an opening or needle-hole, b, just in front of which is a corrugation or arch, (0,0011- vex upon its upper surface, and concave beneath, which extends transversely across the foot. The forward part of the foot, whose plane is slightly above the rear end, is turned upward, forming an arc, and extending laterally from its upper edge is a pivot, 61, upon which is hinged the lever E. Extending from the side of the presser-foot is a rectangular frame-work, A, .of a little less width than the presserfoot, provided on its front side with a facing-hemmer, F. To the upper edge of this same side, at its extremity, is attached the holding-blade B, a narrow, thin strip of steel, slightly curved upward at its extremity, which is directly under the needle-opening b, and which allows the passage of the needle through a slot, m, whose edges coincide with the edge of the needle-opening.

Fig. 2 represents the lever E bent in the rear to form the means of attaching it to the needle-bar, and pivoted (Fig. 1) near one end to the projection 01 of the presser-foot. The forward end of the lever is an elbow lying in the same plane with said lever, and slotted on each edge to allow of introduction in the link D, in which it is free to move. To the link D is attached the gathering or ruffling blade 0, a thin strip of steel of the same width as the holding-blade B, directly over which it works,

and it fits into a groove, 6, Fig. 5, of the presser, which serves as a guide. The extremity of this gatherer is curved downward and furnished with teeth, by means of which it is enabled to gather or take up the material to be ruffied. It is likewise provided with a slot, which coincides with that in the holdingblade when their extreme edges are together. The link D is provided with a milled headscrew, H, which passes through the top of said link, and takes up and allows of waste motion in the lever E, and by means of which the length of the plait or ruffler can be regulated to suit the opera-tor.

Supposing the ruffler to be attached, and the machine to be in motion,its operation may be described as follows, reference being had to Fig. 4: The material to be gathered, f, is passed between the ruffling-blade C and the holding-blade B, using the hemmer, if desired, and the material to which it is to be sewed, f, is passed under the holding-blade B. As the needle-bar and needle descend, theruffling-blade is drawn outward by motion of the lever E, the material being held fast by the holding-bladeB; and as the needle ascends the teeth of the ruffling-blade catch the material and form the first ruffle.

Here the office of the corrugation is seen; and were it situated at any other point its eflicacy would be greatly impaired, for it provides room for the fullness of the material, as shown at n, and prevents any crowding.

Successive ruffles are formed by repetition of the above-described operation, and are verse slot or corrugation a in front of the needle-opening, when combined with the holdingblade B, rattling-blade 0, link D, and lever E, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 17th day of June, A.

GEORGE W. DARBY.-

Witnesses ISAAC K. DAVIS, ISRAEL WILLIAMS. 

